The rule that building costs nothing: while we build or change Brew we run no paid generations and no paid probes unless Param asks, we test free and offline, and when one paid call is the only way to check something we ask first and make it one minimal call.
Today
The rule and where it came from
Fact
Source
Param, 27 Sep: do not create videos while building the capability; several restarts of full runs had burned credits
memory no-spend-while-building
Verify with syntax checks, free local tests and dry logic; a paid probe only when it is the only way, asked first, one minimal call
memory no-spend-while-building
Param, 16 Oct: develop cheap on Flash and switch models when clients go live
memory brew-gemini-provider
Develop cheap with AI_PROVIDER=gemini GEMINI_DEEP_MODEL=gemini-3.5-flash
memory brew-pro-switch-and-flush
How the product keeps tests free
Guard
Source
The test suite runs with AI_MOCK=1, so no model is called
brew/deploy.sh:13-15
Finals on the demo site quote zero and carry a Dummy tag
brew/DUMMY.md:21
Every paid make needs a confirmed price before it runs
brew/jam2/routes.js:310-317
Learnings were tuned with a simulated call on a copy of Cozy, with rewrites mocked, about $0.01 a run
memory brew-move-freshness
The treg rules
Rule
Source
Never generate images, video or voice through treg; use our own keys
memory treg-usage-rules
Check the balance live before blaming treg
memory treg-usage-rules
Never repeat a call for data we already have; reuse the cache
memory treg-usage-rules
Tomorrow
Item
Version
Tag
The rule
v1 to v4
Stays
Posting tests use test accounts only, never a partner's live channel
v2
New
Ad tests run with a zero or test budget
v4
New
How we do it
Where the line sits, the working rule
Allowed without asking
Ask Param first
Mocked tests, syntax checks, free reads of our own files
Any Sloosh final, Higgsfield or Veo video
Reading saved data and caches
A paid probe of a new API shape
A real read that a partner asked for
A full rewrite or rebuild of a brand
Background work inside the product's caps
Raising any cap
Paid video tests run on Arata, never on Cozy, by Param's call memory brew-viral-remakes. The Higgsfield CLI needs Param's yes before install memory brew-higgsfield-wiring.
Before running anything that might spend, ask: is there a free way to know this.
If not, write the one call, its cost and why, and ask Param in chat.
After a yes, run it once, record the cost in the spend ledger and reuse the result.
Deploys run the mocked suite:
AI_MOCK=1 node --test test/*.test.js
Numbers
Metric
Definition
Where measured
Status
Paid probes a month
Paid calls made while building, each with Param's yes
Spend ledger
Proposed
Spend without a yes
Paid build spend with no recorded yes
Spend ledger
Proposed, target 0
Open
Does the rule cover real reads for new prospects? Proposal: no; a real read for a prospect Param or Sai invited is product use, not building, and runs inside the caps.
